Joe Blades lives his version of a Canadian artist's life with at least one twist ...

14 November 2008

10–13 nov 2008 poems

13 novembar 2008

suitcase ka-thunking over sidewalk cracks they walked him to the bus station with gutted restauran—a flag of the former socialist federal republicabandoned overtop an empty beer fridge—much as he wished for that souvenirthe days of asking were well and gone

he was following rivers and trees in texts long before he learned what they were—running eye or fingertip in the white spaces between words to find images hidden treasure or to escape bullies like a line of defensive football players

even if shrubs in the park acrossfrom city hall still spelt out titotonight he would cross the borderfor the last known time . . .heading for budapest and flightswest though frankfurt et montéalto a known safer life in fredericton

ths poet dressed in black nota hunter of beasts for table or bedunder an almost full moon he looksaround him at friendship hope lovein the interactions of almost everyone

11 nojábr’ 2008

from the corner of the basement he looked up at the grey light opening saw iron stair treads heading up to nowhere to the nothing above saw some bush of tree leaves branches with lumps that might just might be small apples

he’d missed seeing them last night had been enough in the darkness to chance upon shelter not in mud all seemed quiet no crossfire no aeroplanes no rumble of tanks or trucks no shouts of soldiers on patrol no

10 azaroa 2008

applewood print origami brown deer a stained glass great blue heron came home with him in the dark rain he must continue must finish packing for the road (again) hochalaga bound it’s good to be he sings in his head

the poems the poems are calling o poet boy what will ye do? méxico might be good for winter italy or a greek island too this town is difficult in snow

so unlike destructive carpenter ants the construction pigeons waddle about the deck and scaffolding raised and piled outside the church they perch equally atop the highest edge of a chipboard sheet leaning towards the old limestone wall

fog in the lowlands below ridgesof leaf-bare hardwoods and turbineshe passes a transport of p.e.i. hogsquebéc abbitore bound like himtravelling to and in lower canadaa hunting hawk hovers close over grass between twinned highway